The Joy of Leftovers

One of the great things about cooking a big meal is having leftovers.

And a great leftover to have is grilled eggplant slices. We had some left over from Saturday night dinner, so on Sunday I stirred them up into a tomato sauce that we ate on penne. That was a great break from healthy eating. The next night we were back to beans and greens.

If you don't have leftover grilled eggplant, then start by slicing an eggplant and grilling or frying it. I recommend using a grill pan because the eggplant can't absorb as much oil as it can in a fry pan.

This recipe is based on one in Anna Thomas' classic 1972 book The Vegetarian Epicure. This was one of my first vegetarian cookbooks, and I still turn to it regularly for basics like this sauce. Although, 40 years on, I find I automatically reduce the amount of oil and dairy products in the recipes. I'm sure she does now too.

Eggplant Pasta Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 - 1/2 lb grilled eggplant slices
1 green pepper
28 oz can whole tomatoes
2 tbsp sliced black olives
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp dried basil
6 oz tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and let it warm.

Chop the eggplant slices in chunks. Seed and dice the green pepper. Drain the tomatoes and chop them coarsely. Add all to the pan along with the olives and capers. Stir well, coating all the vegetables in oil. Add the basil, tomato paste and wine, stir again, and cover the skillet. Let simmer gently over low heat for about 1 hour until it is rich and dark. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking, and add extra wine or water if it gets too thick.

Makes about 1 quart of sauce, enough for pasta for 4-6 people. It freezes well too.

Chipotle Sauce

Sometimes a simple condiment transforms a sandwich into a fabulous taste experience.

This chipotle sauce is in that category.

I used it in grilled cheese sandwiches recently, and they went from humdrum to out-of-this-world. I smeared the sauce on the bread, layered in cheese, red onion, and cilantro, and cooked the sandwiches in butter in a cast iron frypan until they were golden and the cheese was soft. Simple and delicious.

The sauce is also good stirred into stews or soups to add a spicy smoky tomato flavor. It will last at least a week in the fridge. I've frozen a little for longer storage.

Chipotles are smoked jalapeños. Look for them canned in adobo sauce at your local grocery store. Once you open the can, transfer them to a jar and they'll last for months in your fridge. I keep one jar of the whole chipotles in adobo, and another that I've puréed -- it's quite firey and I use it sparingly in anything that needs a kick.

The tomato paste in this recipe tames the heat but leaves the flavor intact, and the molasses deepens the smokiness like good barbecue.

Chipotle Sauce
chipotles in adobo
6oz can tomato paste
1/2 tbsp molasses

Purée the chipotles in adobo in a blender or mini food processor. Measure out 3 tbsp. (Store the remainder in a jar in the fridge for months.)

Add the tomato paste and molasses to the 3tbsp puréed chipotles. Stir well to combine.

Makes about 3/4 cup.